Are the Crests Truly One's Strength?
by Prince Ganymede
Summary: A Taito/Yamachi fanfiction. They have been given their crests, but is there a hidden meaning behind which person has which crest? Who's to say the crest is a strength? Are the crests truly one's strength?
1. It all begins...

First off, I'd like to send a hi, hello, and good evening to anyone and everyone reading this fic. It's my very first Fanfic...about anything...ever, so any comments will be appreciated, even flames (after all, we're all entitled to our very own opinions and I need something to laugh at other than Monty Python and cheaply dubbed Americanized Anime) so send it to ganymede51@hotmail.com   
  
Disclaimer: (I hate having to write one of these, but oh well) I do not own Digimon or any of the characters from other shows mentioned below this disclaimer, so don't try to sue me as you'll only end up with a Monty Python CD or 2 and a cheaply dubbed Americanized Anime, and a Norwegian Blue, perhaps a talking slug...and possibly a piece of cheese, unless the cat ate it............  
  
Note: I will be using the American names for all of the characters, we will be making the assumption that after Kari was discovered to be a digidestined she returned to the digital world with the other 7 digidestined, the fateful battle with Myotismon that happened on the TV show did not happen and is far from happening. Also, I am assuming that File Island (or Digimon Island) is NOT the only land source in the digital realm, Myotismon has moved his castle to another island, which the digidestined are currently seeking. So I've deviated from the path the TV show follows, but it's my fic, and I make the rules. Although this may be somewhat of a "spoiler" (depending on your definition) please do not confuse the use of the word "aura" with that stuff you can catch on Dragon Ball Z, but more of a radiance emitted from the body like that episode of the Simpsons where Mr. Burns is mistaken for an alien due to his "healthy green glow" (please see disclaimer). That's all I've got to say...on to the fic!  
  
---Are the Crests Truly One's Strength?---  
*Thoughts*  
**Crest**  
  
THE STORY SO FAR: Early one afternoon, Tai of the digidestined discovered an island not far from where the digidestined were currently making camp. This would not have been big news had there not been an incredibly large, not too particularly smug looking castle looming over it, surrounded by deep black clouds. Quite a giveaway it would seem, no? The digidestined had ruled that since there was no other place he could have been hiding, that castle most definitely belonged to Myotismon, an evil Digimon who had been terrorizing all of File Island since Devimon was defeated, and Myptismon was forced to flee from his last Fortress. By odd coincidence, a raft was easily constructed. Although Matt and the rest of the group had been wary of getting on the raft (those storm clouds seemed the have the slyest grin), Tai had assured them that there would only be a squall at most, and so they set out.  
The morning after "Hurricane Tai" had destroyed the raft, casting all of the digidestined into the water, Matt wakes up on a strange shore, alone. When searching the island he meets up with Tai. In a matter of hours, the island has been fully searched, and the boys get some food for the night before setting up camp. And so, the tale begins…  
  
  
  
"Don't even think about saying it."  
"This never would have happened if you'd have listened to me and the others and you know it."  
Matt didn't think about saying it, for it'd already come out of his mouth. *I sure as hell wish he'd have listened to me though, he's always so headstrong, he's the perfect leader. Besides, he's pretty cute when he play's leader...STOP! Did I just think that?! Damn it what the hell is wrong with me! I don't like Tao that way, it's not right! I don't like Tai!* Matt cringed as the thoughts zoomed around inside his mind. He looked over at Tai, his sole companion for the past day. "I wonder what's on his mind" Tai whispered *Did I just say that out loud?* "If you wanted to know, you could have asked me, schizo." Matt began. "Shut up, I'm just thinking out loud, that's all" Tai replied. "Well think a little quieter, or even not at all, maybe we wouldn't have ended up like this if you did! Here we are, no digimon, no friends on an island the size of a few baseball fields!" "Don't start that with me again alright! What's done is done!" "Dammit Tai! Even TK saw that storm coming a mile away! 'Aw, come on guys, it'll be a squall at most' well that Squall ended up nearly killing us, and leaving us all alone in the middle of nowhere, not too far from Myotismon's Castle! We can't even see Myotismon's castle from here! All I can see are other islands! No dark spooky castles or any of that crap, anywhere! Just what the hell were you looking at through that telescope of yours?" the fire cracked, and Matt noticed that Tai looks so good when the fire's light hits him like that…I really need to sort things out, I can't think straight! Literally!* with that, Matt stood up.  
  
"And just where the hell are you going?" Tai jumped when Matt suddenly stood up. "I need to be somewhere where you aren't" Matt was noticeably shaky. "Matt…you doing okay? Something wrong?" "NO! I'm not okay! All of my problems are because of you! So just leave me alone and we'll both be just fine, it's not too hard to do!" Matt had tears welling up in his eyes, he noticed that as he spoke, Tai's mood had been slowly deteriorating; both boys were on the brink of an emotional maelstrom. Matt noticed that Tai's crest was faintly glowing a light shade of red. **But it IS too hard, or can you not see** Matt looked around him, but determined that is was Tai who spoke. "Matt…please don't leave me alone here…please" The glow was now rapidly spreading throughout Tai's body. *What the hell?!* "Tai?" Tai's ever-brightening aura, and ever lowering of his voice silenced Matt, "Just shut up and listen to me for once, okay?" Matt started to object, but decided not to spur anything onward. *Come on, man, you have the crest of Courage, because you have lots of it right? So why is it so hard to tell Matt right now! Nobody is here but us two!*  
  
Tai found no reason not to go on, so he started to speak, "Matt, for a long time now I've been fighting. Not just you and I, or against the bad digimon, nothing like that. I've been battling with the one thing that I can't defeat…myself. For a long time now, I've been hiding from myself, and from the rest of you, fighting a war, silently, and suffering, silently. But silence is not golden, and nothing can remain silent for long. Matt, for a long time now, I've…I've been in love. Not just a crush, or out of curiosity or anything, but really in love. The way I feel is indescribable, its an incredible feeling. Being able to do nothing about it only makes me hurt more, but now I think I can do something." *Wow! Tai's in love…I wonder why he's being so closed about it. Why's he telling me this, here, now?* "What's this have to do with me?" Matt realized the answer as the question left his lips, *Tai's in love with me!* Matt was shocked, but at the same time, he felt something that he could not describe. At this time, Tai's aura had enveloped him in bright red and was sending a bright beam into the night sky. "Matt…All this time…I've been in love with…you" the words left Tai's lips in a barely audible whisper, and tears trickled down Tai's face. Matt heard what Tai had said, and saw what reaction it got from him as well. Of all the things Matt could have, and should have done, he ran. Up the beach and into the forest, Matt ran, all the way to a lagoon quite a bit from the camp.  
  
"Why? What did I do? Why can I not find love? Tai asked himself aloud. Unable to bear what had happened, Tai burst out into sobs, the tears flowed from his eyes, and his body was spasming from the sobs. When the events from the past few minutes fully hit, a deep pain embedded itself in Tai's chest, the scream was heard for miles by all but one person, the one who needed to hear it most, Matt did not hear. Matt sat down on a rock and did what came naturally to him, pulled out his harmonica and played. * Tai loves me, and I don't know what to think anymore. Part of me is saying that what I heard is wrong. The other part tells me that…I…love him back. Why is this happening? How, why is he doing this to me? Why am I doing this to myself?!* Matt stopped playing and whispered to himself, "I know that I like Tai a lot, but love him…I can't.  
** That is where you are wrong, crest bearer **   
  
"Who's there!" Matt yelled, ** It will not help to scream, nobody can hear me but you ** "Where are you?" With that, Matt's crest let off a blue glow ** Answer your question? **   
  
"How?" ** Like the digimon, I too have been waiting for your arrival, I too am to help you in times of need. This is one of those times, it is written in the stars.**  
  
"Why do you say that?" ** You can lie to yourself only so long, Matt. You cannot lie to me. You share a bond with the one who bears the Crest of Courage even stronger than the bonds of time, I can sense it, I know that it is there. **  
  
"No way! We're just friends! That is the full extent, nothing more!" ** You speak, but do you listen to what you say? You say things that you do not believe. Since, you say that there is friendship and nothing more, allow me to show you how great that power is alone **  
  
With that, Matt was himself enveloped in the aura of his crest, for a split second Matt became one with the crest, and felt what it felt, what he and Tai shared with each other. The level of emotion between himself and Tai was so strong that any longer than that split second, and Matt could have sworn he would have burst. ** The level of emotion goes even beyond that, more so than even the Crest of Love can sense. The strands of destiny are woven, but even individual strands can become inseparable.** Matt knew that he was hearing the truth, but when was he known for backing out of a fight? "It's not true" ** Why are you so stubborn? You know that it is true! ** "No, its not, I know Tai loves me, but I don't love him back! I can't love him back, it's not right! Feeling the way I do for Tai is wrong!"  
  
Matt was in tears by this time, and in desperate need of a friend. ** NO! It is most certainly not wrong! To love, and to be loved is not wrong. There is NOTHING wrong with being in love, it is not wrong because nobody is hurt. Nothing is wrong unless someone is hurt. WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO YOURSELF, AND ESPECIALLY TO TAI IS WRONG!! ** "I..." Matt knew that he could not continue to lie to himself like this. Matt was deeply in love with Tai, and he knew it. He knew now that loving another boy was not wrong, the love of any other person was a gift, like any gift it is to be treated with care. "Tai, what have I done…I'm so sorry…please forgive me" Matt whispered.  
  
As if in an answer to his question, a sudden surge of light in the direction of the camp and a loud scream caught Matt's attention. "TAI! NO!" Matt started to run, the aura of his crest began to flow freely around him. Matt ran as fast as he could, the blue glow of his crest spurring him onward with a speed he'd never known before. He was back at the camp in no time at all. Tai was clutching to his chest, the pain he felt was unbearable, and he knew why it was there and decided to let it over take him. He was about to pass out when "TAI! What's happening?!" it was Matt! He'd come back! "Matt…just leave me alone…go away" Tai spoke, but the words came out stuttered, Tai's chest burned with each spoken word. "Tai, you know I can't do that. You'll be okay Tai, I promise. I'll make it okay. You can't leave me yet, because you love me, and I won't let you leave, because…because I…love you" with that being said, Matt crouched down and took the weakened Tai in his arms, letting him rest there. The pan  
was slowly leaving Tai's body, replaced with a feeling of safety and comfort. He had found his true love, his soul mate, and he would not let go.  
  
"Matt, please, don't ever leave me again…I hate it whe-- " Tai was silenced by Matt pressing his finger to Tai's lips. "Shh…I told you already, I'll never leave your side." Matt then drew himself closer to Tai, and their lips met in the most passionate kiss of their lives. Each boy's separate aura combined to form one of a violet radiance, and the two knew that nothing could ever tear them apart, nothing. The kiss ended and Tai stared up at his love. In the midst of all the darkness, a twinkling pair of sapphires and golden blonde hair were the only things Tai could see, they were his everything. It was Tai's turn to engage in the kiss, and his lips pressed up against Matt as the aura subsided and the lovers embraced. They fell asleep in each others arms. The fire had gone out, but they had each other to keep warm. Before sleep overcame him, Matt had time to confess his love to Tai once more. From a point not too far from where this scene took place, a pair of eyes burned with a hatred so deep it seared the very darkness from whence it came…  
  
END PART ITO BE CONTINUED…  
  
Well, there you have it, my first fic and already it's a mini-series =) Any comments or suggestions? Feel free to e-mail me, ganymede51@hotmail.com anything is welcome, thanks in advance.  



	2. The Awakening explained

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any other shows mentioned after this disclaimer, blah, blah, blah, please don't sue, blah, blah, blah, any likenesses to real life figures is probably coincidental, blah, blah, blah, --insert witty "don't even think about flaming" remark here-  
  
Note: I will be using the American names for all of the characters, we will be making the assumption that after Kari was discovered to be a digidestined she returned to the digital world with the other 7 digidestined, the fateful battle with Myotismon that happened on the TV show did not happen and is far from happening. Myotismon has moved his castle to another island, which the digidestined are currently seeking. So I've deviated from the path the TV show follows, but it's my fic, and I make the rules. Although this may be somewhat of a "spoiler" (depending on your definition) please do not confuse the use of the word "aura" with that stuff you can catch on Dragon Ball Z, but more of a radiance emitted from the body, like that episode of the Simpsons where Mr. Burns is mistaken for an alien due to his "healthy green glow" and that medicine stuff (please see disclaimer). On to Part II  
  
---Are the Crests Truly One's Strength?---  
*Thoughts*  
**Crest**  
  
Part II  
  
THE STORY SO FAR: When last we left off, the digidestined had been separated. Matt and Tai had found each other on an island, it was there where they had told of their true feelings for each other, with a little help from certain "close friends". But where are the other digidestined? What were they doing while Matt and Tai were alone? See for yourselves, the tale of the remaining 6, and the 8 digital partners…  
  
Among the first to wake from up were Izzy, Gabumon, Agumon, and Sora. The first thing that was noticed was the obvious lack of 2 members of their team, the leader, Tai, and the person who he seemed to get along with the least, Matt. This could not possibly have been a good thing. "Where's Tai?!" the garbled sounds escaped the throats of Agumon and Sora at the same time. "Shh! Keep it down you two, you think I'm not worried too? With our luck they're just on another part of the island, that storm could have easily done that. Although it is strange that the 6 of us, along with our digimon, and their digimon had landed somewhere else together. Hmm…" Izzy began to trail off as he lost himself in thought. "Forget that" Sora commanded, "where exactly is this, 'somewhere else', huh!" "Shh! First of all, I have to know where WE are, nextly, we can wait until the others are up for me to begin tracking down Tai and Matt…" Izzy was abruptly cut off by a hideous shriek, "EVERYONE! UP NOW!" *Well, I guess that works* Izzy thought to himself.  
  
Everyone was now awake, although some more readily than others. "Sora! My feet hurt and I'm hungry and wet and tired and I wanna get clean clothes and…" Mimi went off into a fit of everything she needed and was ignored, quite readily, by everyone, and then…"Tai! Make Sora stop waking me up like thaaaaaat!…Tai? Where's Tai?" wondering when Mimi would notice, Sora immediately quieted her down and began to speak, "Okay people, we have to stick together if we're going to look for Tai and Matt, but we're gonna need time for Izzy to find out where they are, but we have to know where we are first. Mimi, Joe, and I are going out with our Digimon to get breakfast. T.K., Kari, Izzy, Gabumon, Agumon and their Digimon will stay here so that we can find Tai and Matt while taking care of the campsite. With any luck, and Matt's absence, we should have enough food to last the entire day." "Hey!" T.K. interrupted, after all, it was his brother being talked about. "Sorry T.K." Sora lied, "Anyway, that's the plan, now lets go!" Nobody knew who voted Sora leader, but they all knew that they didn't like it, and there was nothing short of rebellion that could have stopped her from thinking that's what she was. With Tai gone, they decided, each to themselves, Sora was the one who was going to be blamed when something went wrong, and they laughed to themselves knowing this.  
  
A few hours later, after breakfast and a long while of sitting in silence, waiting for someone to speak, someone spoke, it was T.K. "Izzy, have you found anything?" "Hmm?" Izzy was startled, but only a little, when he heard his name, "Oh yeah, T.K., lots, I know where we are, but nobody's going to like it." The volume of his voice dropped, slowly, but it had. "Tell us! We'll be the judge of that!" * God, will that girl ever say please?* "Alright. Turns out that we're on a small island, part of a cluster of several other islands, tens, hundreds of other islands, some smaller some bigger. All of these islands in between where we left shore the other day and where Myotismon's Castle ought to be." * I knew we should have checked our path on my laptop just to be safe!* "More bad news, Tai and Matt aren't on this island, and something is blocking my ability to try and pick up their digivice's signal beyond this island. They could be anywhere!"  
  
The digidestined and their partners stood in silent shock, awareness spreading like a deadly virus throughout their bodies. "So that means, my brother…" T.K. tried to speak, but the tears that welled in his eyes prevented another sound from escaping his throat. "Don't worry T.K." Kari chimed up, she wrapped her arm around him, "They've got to be okay! Look, Gabumon and Agumon are fine, so our brothers have to be okay!" * That's right, Tai is Kari's brother, so she must feel the same way I do* T.K. thought **Never lose hope**, for a moment, T.K. wondered where the voice came from, but he didn't care, whoever it was, told him the right thing. * I will never lose hope* with that thought, T.K. beamed at Kari and hugged her closer, "You're right Kari! Thanks a lot!" he realized what he was doing and released Kari from his death-grip, both blushed the same deep crimson. "Not only are they somewhere else, but there are hundreds of somewhere elses, we need to find materials for building another raft and figure out where to head to find them. Unless anyone has a better idea, I suggest we get the rest of the day to think of what to do next, I'll keep working at my laptop." "So…we may not even be able to find them at all? What if Myotismon finds out about this? What'll we do then? This time tomorrow, we will have an idea of where to head out, or there will be beatings." Just the tone of voice Sora used told Izzy to hurry up with finding something, so he got right down to it.  
  
Kari and T.K. were both walking toward the beachline, T.K. had a burning question that had to be asked, so he went for it. "Umm, Kari? I have a question that I've been meaning to ask for a little while now, its really been bugging me recently too." * Oh my god, my hearts beating a million times a minute! Will he say it? Please let him say it! Ack! He's waiting for my answer!* "Sure, go ahead T.K., you can ask me anything!" she responded. "Okay, here goes," T.K. took a deep breath before continuing, "will you…tell me how come Sora's always being so mean to everyone?" * Sora? We're alone, nobody around, and he's talking to me about Sora?! BOYS!* "Umm, I don't know, maybe its because she wants a certain someone to talk to her about a certain something, and that someone doesn't have a clue?" * HINT, HINT! T.K., you can't possibly be as slow as my brother to pick thing up! Can you?* T.K. looked at Kari with a quizzical expression, "Maybe, but I really doubt that that's the reason behind it all. Thanks, though, Kari" "Anytime, T.K.!", and with that final whisper, Kari walked back to camp, sighing quietly to herself. T.K. kept walking, * I wish I hadn't changed my question like that*  
  
The sun was setting as T.K.sat near the shore of the beach, lost in his own thought, when he caught his first glimpse of it, something shone in his eyes from under the water. Upon closer inspection, T.K. realized what it was, "Tai's telescope! They've got to be somewhere close, Tai never lets this out of his sight!" T.K. ran back to the campsite, newfound treasure in hand. He stumbled a bit along the way, but it was well worth it to him, "HEY GUYS! LOOKIE WHAT I FOUND!", T.K. yelled, waving the telescope in his hand. Izzy looked up from his screen, a look of annoyance on his face, which soon changed to curiosity and eventually surprise. "Where did you find it?!" he inquired, "Down by the shore, that way!" T.K. gleamed in the last rays of evening sun, but Izzy didn't care as he ran all the way down to the shore and gasped at what he saw.  
  
Across the way, at an island just a few miles away, a glimmer of light was seen, orange, and moved in an irregular pattern, it could only have been a fire. Quick as lightning, Izzy ran back to camp and snatched his bag from where it rest, he dug through it voraciously until he found what he was looking for and ran back to his point on the beach in a minute flat. After setting up his instruments, Izzy punched a few keys and then, "Prodigious! I knew that camera'd come in handy one day!" there, on his screen a window had popped into life, an image of Tai and Matt near a fire could be clearly made out on the laptop's screen. It was what they were doing that startled Izzy, (not the fact that his camera was able to zoom into a particular spot from a few miles away and not blur at all) they were talking, not yelling at each other, miraculous. When did the others arrive? Izzy didn't care, because what happened next was as amazing as Matt and Tai not arguing, Tai had slowly begun to glow! Weakly at first, but the glow was there, and it got stronger. Eventually, Izzy didn't even need to be using his computer and camera to see the aura Tai emitted, it sent a large red beam into the air. That was when Izzy noticed the e-mail icon was blinking, mail from Gennai. "Hey guys" he started, "E-mail from Gennai"  
  
The mail read as follows:  
"Izzy,  
I know that by now, you're all wondering what that weird light around Tai is. That light is the gathering of a resource that Tai seemed to have the most of, courage, through his crest. This 'gathering' is possible for all of you, and it will happen at one point or another, like it or not. There are 3 conditions that may bring it about:  
1.)When you are directly in tune with your strength, your crest will acknowledge this by doubling the amount of strength it provides you, for whatever purpose necessary.  
2.)When you are unable to gather your strength on your own, the crest acts as a source and provides you with the strength.  
3.)The third I won't get into, it's far too unlikely that any of you will run into this problem, it hasn't even been proven to exist yet, so don't worry.  
  
Although there is another possibility, the chances of its occurring are even more minute than that third possibility, so I won't even bother you with its explanation. One other note, this gathering is caused by a sort of 'awakening', a realization of sort that causes the crest to react in the ways they do. I have no idea what exactly this realization is, but you will. When you find it, the crests will 'show you the light' Good luck to you.  
--Gennai"  
  
"I guess that answers my questions" Joe started, "I hope this thing isn't caused by something I'm allergic to" "Lighten up Joe, you worry too much!" Gomamon had heard too much, his head hurt so he dragged Joe back to camp to go to bed. Mimi and Palmon followed suit. Izzy was pondering what Gennai didn't want to tell them when he saw something out of the corner of his eye, he turned to stare back at where Tai had been and noticed that there was now a blue beam emanating from inside the island! Alarmed, Izzy looked back at the screen of his laptop and saw that Tai was alone now, and seemed in pain, so that answered one question, when a dozen more questions fluttered about unanswered. Like just why was Sora standing in front of him tapping her foot and staring at him? "You gonna stay here all day?" she snorted. "I just have to know where that light is coming from, feel free to stay if you-IT'S MOVING!" Izzy pointed.  
  
Sure enough, the blue beam had begun to die down, but not before it had started moving back toward Tai. Izzy stared at the scene blankly then focused his attention at his once-ignored laptop screen. It looked like the process had started all over again with Tai, he was glowing again, the blue light was coming nearer. "I have to see this" Sora cackled, she picked up Tai's telescope and centered her attention on the far island. At that point, a faint pink glow emanated from Sora's crest, * What the? Whats this…hey…it must be that thing Gennai was talking about! It has to be! Oh Tai, its because I love you that the crest is acknowledging my power!* At the same moment, Izzy and Sora gasped when they realized what, actually who, was responsible for the blue beam, Matt had run into the clearing and went straight to Tai. T.K. amd Kari, who were fascinated by the occurrence sat with Izzy to watch from the camera's point of view.  
  
Matt exchanged a few words with Tai, but what happened next was enough to shock even the great Izzy, Matt leaned over and kissed Tai, their auras converging to form a giant purple one bright enough that the onlookers had to shield their eyes. In a state of intense shock, Sora dropped Tai's telescope, it hit a rock, shattering the lens. * Matt, you have stole from me the one thing that could have brought me true happiness, and for that, I will make sure you pay, if it's the last thing I do, you will know the pain you have brought me.* With those final thoughts, Sora's crest no longer glowed the bright pink it had before, in its stead, a black aura engulfed her, to replace her crest with a new one, a new symbol. The air crackled around her as she let the new feeling engulf her entirety, she pictured, clearly, the faces of the 2 people she hated most.  
  
Sora quietly walked back into the campsite and found a picture of herself and Tai. Careful so as not to damage the frame, she removed the picture and watched as it burst into flames within her grasp. The sole witness of this event watched from afar, laughing to himself, formulating a plan that would forever change the lives of the digidestined. He was there when Sora had changed, he was there when she embraced the gift he gave her, he will be there, when she succumbed to his every will, with one word seared forever into her skull, Hate.  
  
END PART IITO BE CONTINUED…  
  
Ooh, kinda creepy in the end if I do say so myself. Got any suggestions or comments? Feel free to e-mail me, ganymede51@hotmail.com All comments are welcome =)  



	3. Mysterious Stranger...Revealed

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any other shows mentioned after this disclaimer, blah, blah, blah, please don't sue, blah, blah, blah, any likenesses to real life figures is probably coincidental, blah, blah, blah, --insert witty "don't even think about flaming" remark here--  
  
Note: I will be using the American names for all of the characters, we will be making the assumption that after Kari was discovered to be a digidestined she returned to the digital world with the other 7 digidestined, the fateful battle with Myotismon that happened on the TV show did not happen and is far from happening. Myotismon has moved his castle to another island, which the digidestined are currently seeking. So I've deviated from the path the TV show follows, but it's my fic, and I make the rules. Although this may be somewhat of a "spoiler" (depending on your definition) please do not confuse the use of the word "aura" with that stuff you can catch on Dragon Ball Z, but more of a radiance emitted from the body, like that episode of The Simpsons where Mr. Burns is mistaken for an alien due to his "healthy green glow" and that medicine stuff (please see disclaimer). On to Part III  
  
---Are the Crests Truly One's Strength?---  
*Thoughts*  
**Crest**  
  
Part III  
  
THE STORY SO FAR: When last we left off, the digidestined had been separated. Matt and Tai had found each other on an island, it was there where they had told of their true feelings for each other, with a little help from certain "close friends". The remaining digidestined discovered that they did not have to look very far to find their missing friends, they weren't very far after all. It was then that the digidestined learned of the "gathering", a collection of one's strength when it is needed most in a most brilliant display of light. Time for a little spy play as Izzy and Sora watch Matt and Tai from across the way just in time to make a discovery that came as a shock to 4 of the 5 witnesses. Upon learning that she and Tai would never be, Sora embraced the flow of her "gathering", but something was wrong, dead wrong, there was no light, only darkness as Sora stalked off. You're not seeing things, there were indeed 5 witnesses: Tai, Matt, Izzy, Sora, and one other, time for the other to step in, but will he be strong enough to take down the digidestined on his own?  
  
A breeze was making its way toward where two boys slept, to rustle through their hair. The remains of a fire that had long since gone out was not far from their resting place, but even in the midst of the night and the breeze, the boys were never cold, they kept each other warm. Dawn was just breaking over the horizon, the sea refracting the light just enough to shine a deep blue, "But not as blue as my angel's eyes" Tai had woken just in time to see the sun peek out from its hiding place. He now looked at the golden haired angel lying in his arms, a tear escaped from his eye and he spoke in a dazed sort of drab, *He talks in his sleep, heh, now we'll really see if I'm the one he dreams of…* that thought was cut short just in time. "…if only… you knew…needed you for so long…please stay, so cold…"   
  
*Knew? Knew what? Dammit, just when I think I've figured out what he's all about he goes and does something all weird like that!* Tai couldn't stay mad at Matt for very long though. Tai wrapped his arms tighter around Matt, content to lie there in his love's arms for all eternity, if only his bladder had not decided on that very moment to betray him. "Damn me, why can't I just have a normal day for once in my life?" Tai muttered angrily as he started to get up, but stopped in his tracks when he heard Matt's teeth chatter. *He must really be cold if I can hear his teeth chatter from here* Tai hesitated for only a moment before pulling his shirt over his head and placed it gently over Matt's sleeping form. "You need it more than I do, I don't want to hear anything about it from you when you wake up or you'll regret it" Tai whispered softly before stepping into the woods, noticing the cold for the first time.  
  
"What do you mean 'gone'?!" Izzy was never heard yelling this loud before. The campsite was full of movement, nobody really felt much like staying asleep after that shout was heard. "Just like it sounds, Izzy! Sora's gone!" Biyomon wailed like a newborn babe with Tentomon and Gomamon trying their best to comfort the poor bird digimon. "Maybe she just went out for a walk or something, you think so Izzy?" Joe suggested. "Doubt it, she would have brought Biyomon along with her, something's very wrong here, and I can't seem to find it." Quickly dismissing Joe's idea, Izzy stalked back to a little spot near the camp that, noticing something that he didn't before. "What the…" *What's this?* Izzy picked up a small squarish piece of something, a very familiar something, burned very nicely to a crisp, with colors imprinted on it. "Joe, please get my laptop for me, I can't move too far from here, otherwise we may be losing something that might help find Sora!" Izzy didn't mean to make it sound like a life or death situation, but he didn't have the time to worry about sounding nice at this moment.  
  
"Here you go Izzy, but what's so impo-" Joe was cut off right there as he noticed the charred scrap in Izzy's possession. "Oh, so I see. If you're trying to find out what that is…it's a picture of Sora and Tai taken just before we went to Summer Camp. Sora said that it caught on fire while she was looking at it yesterday. Why's that so important?" *That's right! Now I recognize that pattern, it's from Tai's shirt! But where's the frame? I've seen this picture before; Sora showed it to me back at camp, that frame meant a lot to her, as did the picture inside. No time for worrying about that right now though* "If that's the case, then we can't worry about that right now…we need a boat, so I'm going to have to ask for everyone's help and cooperation, I have plans for building a small raft on my laptop, but it's not going to be very easy." "But I just did my nails last night! You expect me to just go out into the woods and ruin them? I can't do that! Please let me just sit this one out, Izzy!" Mimi was outraged, even more so than she should have been, but that made no impact on Izzy. "Mimi, I'm sorry, but everyone's job is equally important, you don't see Kari or T.K. complaining do you?" *I hate it when he brings logic into this, but at least I'll have time to do my nails later…I'd better have time to do my nails later!* reluctantly, Mimi agreed to do her fair share, there would always be time enough for revenge later.  
  
Trudging through the dank jungle, Sora embraced the nothingness emanating from her newfound crest, playing with her abilities and discovering powers beyond anything she thought the old crest had. She even found out about one neat little trick that would most definitely come in handy later on. A wicked grin spread across Sora's face as she plotted the worst for all who'd ever done her wrong. "…and when I'm done with them," she spoke aloud in a hysterical fit, "I will make Matt Ishida suffer more than he's ever thought possible!" "Indeed you shall, little girl. I can help you find the path, if you choose to follow…" The voice seemed to come from everywhere at once, there was no point in trying to guess where it came from. "Who are you, and what do you want. I should warn you that I'm not the best person to be bothering about now." "Pathetic girl, do you not realize that I know what you are, and what you have got there. Who do you think gave you what you now possess? It was me, and I can take it back if I so choose!" Sora gasped, she knew that voice from somewhere, but was unable to find a face for it. *I know who he is, but from where? Why won't he show himself?*  
  
**The answer to that is a simple one, Sora. He is my master, and yours now as well. You are forever bound to him now, the Lord Myotismon.** Sora shrieked as she was told what she'd been too blind to see earlier. Myotismon hovered down from his hiding place in the trees above. "Do not think that you will be able to run from me, girl. Succumb to me, and I shall give you anything you desire." *Anything that I…* "NO! I won't do it, I can't do it! I have plans of my own!"  
  
"And do you think you can carry out those plans on your own?"  
  
"I will do what must be done. If you get in my way then you leave me no choice exce---"  
  
"Except what?! What do you plan on doing to me without your precious Biyomon around, eh, girl! What will you plan on doing when I hang you by the very crest that you wear on your neck; the very one I gave you! Join me, and I swear I can make any of your fantasies a reality. Tai can be yours forever, and Matt will be lower than a slave, lower than the grime in the deepest parts of my dungeon where he shall live out the rest of his days in misery! Come with me and it will all be possibly!" With every word, Sora grew angrier and angrier. Myotismon was right, she could do nothing in her current state, she needed help, and guidance. Sora then made the only decision she saw open to her. "I will go with you, but only until I do what I need to do. Will you teach me how to use this thing?" A sneer formed on Myotismon's lips, and he extended his hand out to Sora. "I will teach you, but first, you must pledge yourself to me." With a nod of Sora's head, a compact was made. In a flurry of darkness enshrouding them, the 2 disappeared.  
  
Upon returning to the little piece of land they dubbed a "camp", Tai found Matt awake and cooking a lunch out of some vegetables they'd found the other day over a fresh fire. "Morning Tai, I guess that'll be your shirt over there." Matt greeted Tai with a warm smile, gazing at him shyly with color just beginning to flush his cheeks. "Heh, yeah, it is. You were shivering, so I thought you needed it more than I did." Tai replied, responding to the blonde's choice of affection with a huge grin of his own. "Yeah, but only because my heater wasn't there." *Heater? What the hell is he talking about, he doesn't have a heater!* "Um, Matt, you don't have a heater…am I missing something here?" ever the one to miss the obvious, Tai was shocked when Matt burst into a fit of laughter. "You really don't have a brain under that huge mess of a thing you call hair, don't you?" was the first muffled response that came from Matt, "Hey! I happen to like my hair, besides, you weren't complaining any last night when--" "Last night when what? When we fell asleep in each other's arms as the fire was dying out? Kissing and warming each other up, or don't you remember?" suddenly worried, Matt stopped all that he was doing to stare at Tai.   
  
"Are you kidding? Do you know how long I've needed to tell you everything that I felt for you? It was tearing me apart how much I needed to know if you felt the same or not! Have you ever loved someone and not be able to tell them how you feel, or even been in a situation nearly as bad as mine was?" the tears welled in Tai's eyes with each word that left his lips. "Tai…" Matt stood as he spoke and walked over to Tai, not noticing the food he left in the mercy of the fire. "Tai, you know that you can put all that stuff in the past now. Until yesterday I didn't know if I had any friends in the world. I didn't know how much I really cared for you, how much that I…needed you too. You know that I love you, and I'll never do anything to hurt you. I don't like seeing you in so much pain, please don't cry?" Matt embraced Tai a hug full of so much emotion that Tai could do no more than simply return the hug. "Matt, sorry, I don't know what got into me. I just, lost it there, and thanks. Thanks for saying all that stuff, it's nice to know that you've got a friend that you can always talk to, isn't it?" Tai looked straight into the Sapphire colored eyes of his love's, he needed an answer. "It's the best thing in the world, especially since I know that I can share anything with you."   
  
Matt brushed the back of his hand against Tai's cheek, relishing in the smooth texture of his skin. Tai let out a contented sigh; he got the answer he was hoping for. "Yeah, same goes. Thank you, Matt. Um, Matt?" "Hmm?" "You're burning lunch."  
  
With a yelp, Matt turned around to view a horrid sight. What could at one point have been edible was now a pile of charred and smoldering ashes. The twigs in the fire crackled as a wind began to build up. In the distance, a hastily built raft made its way toward he shore. Its passengers were 6 children, and 8 digimon. Matt and Tai would, very shortly, have guests, and Tai hadn't even bothered to put on his shirt again!  
  
"With this, my child, you will be able to watch over your friends at any time you like. I hope what you just saw only spurs you onward." Came Myotismon's voice. The place was a tall tower, only a fraction of a gigantic fortress, with only himself, and the girl to share it with. Sora's fists were smoking, the crackle of power around her in rhythm, exactly, with that of a fire near the two people she despised most in the world. "Oh, you had better believe that what I have planned would more than outmatch everything you have ever tried to do to us." Sora began to draw on the energy of her crest, felt hate surging throughout her body like the very blood through her veins. Myotismon nodded and left the girl to her thoughts. *This one was the easiest to bend to my will, but she seemed to come of her own free will, even though I forced it upon her. I do not care what it is she wants, but when I receive that which I desire, she will be of no use to me* with that final though, Myotismon left the antechamber and proceeded to make plans of his own.  
  
END PART IIITO BE CONTINUED…  
  
Woo! Part III done, with Part IV leaving me no more options, you know the introduction to the story, from here on out, I'll be showing you what I'll be doing with it. Feel free to e-mail me, ganymede51@hotmail.com with any comments or questions. All comments are welcome =)  



	4. Reunited!

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any other shows mentioned after this disclaimer, blah, blah, blah, please don't sue, blah, blah, blah, any likenesses to real life figures is probably coincidental, blah, blah, blah, --insert witty "don't even think about flaming" remark here--  
  
ACK! Gomen! Been such a long time since I was able to write any more parts to this! I'm not one who favors excuses, but I've got mine...mainly it has to do with schoolwork, jobs, and reformatting, but thats all I gotta say! Now that I have time, I can spend much more time writing! I'll shush up now...enjoy...and once again...sorry for the too-long delay...  
---Are the Crests Truly One's Strength?---  
*Thoughts*  
**Crest**  
  
Part IV  
  
THE STORY SO FAR: When last we left off, The 5 digidestined who were still a group (that means excluding Sora, Matt, and Tai) were able to build a raft and were en route to the island upon which Matt and Tai had landed. Sora had discovered a darker side to reality, as her Crest changed from Love to Hate. She had found herself a willing tutor in the dark arts lost to humans long ago, one who had watched her transformation since it first showed itself, dark lord Myotismon. What will become of the remaining digidestined? Has Sora indeed changed so much? What, exactly, is Myotismon planning?  
  
"You truly do amaze me, girl,going from one lesson to the next, passing each test I give you with flying colors!" Myotismon was congratulating Sora on her newest accomplishment, channeling using a crystal for the base. Staring into the crystal. Sora was amazed at what kind of power she would be able to have if she was able to gather so much energy from a tiny crystal. *Such a small stone, so much power!* Sora grinned to herself *I can do so much better, all I need is to find out what works best for what I need*. Sensing the girl focusing on the crystal again, Myotismon grinned and walked out of the room set aside for his "pupil". *Soon, very soon, she shall learn the price for wielding such a power. The hard way, just as I did!* This sudden thought put a scowl on Myotismon's face, "That was so long ago...and I am different now", a whisper, not loud enough to be audible to anyone but himself. Myotismon stalked off to a place nobody knew of save himself.  
  
  
Landing upon the island, the 5 digidestined looked around the area where they touched shore. "Hmm, not too bad a ride, for once." Mimi pointed out, "Good thing that Tai wasn't in charge of that one! Do we really need to get him back just yet?" She received A glare, from 4 different faces, almost enough to freeze molten metal. "Hmph. Don't complain when we have to find a way off of this island!" Mimi stuck her tongue out at the others, closed her eyes and turned her back on the others.   
"Aww, come on Mimi! We really have to find Matt and Tai! We need their help to find Sora, right?" TK went over to Mimi and tugged on her dress a little. "Please? I miss Matt, we need to find him. We have to!"  
  
At that moment, a few key phrases of a long chained curse made its way through the wind to the group of Digidestined. TK cringed, Joe and Izzy gasped, Mimi paled, and Kari yelped in surprise. The Digimon were looking confused as ever! Gabumon turned to Tentomon and whispered, "I've heard Matt say all those things before. Do you have any idea what any of it means?"   
"Not a clue! I'll have to ask Izzy later on."   
Everyone turned to TK, who now stood digging a shoe into the sand, blushing profusely. "Umm...sorry everyone! He tends to do that when something really important goes wrong! I wonder what it could be?" TK sweatdropped and ran over to Patamon.   
"Well" Joe started, "I guess we'd better go and see what the problem is, huh?"   
"Yeah!" Kari chimed in, "Tai might be in trouble too!"  
  
That was enough to get an agreement from the Izzy and Mimi, getting their Digimon together; they went off in the direction of the curses. Such a scene was in store for them, Mimi fainted and fell to her knees at the very sight!  
  
Simultaneously elsewhere...  
"Just calm down, Matt! It's okay! We can find something else to eat!" Tai was trying to calm down an infuriated Matt. *Sheesh! Its not like we can't find fish whenever we want! Why does he pick now to get all worried about it?!* "Come on Matt...besides, " Tai blushed, "I'd rather have something else for breakfast anyway."   
  
After a long stream of curses, Matt realized what Tai had just said, "Wha? You'd rather. Oh. I see. Well then, you'd better get on over here before I get cold!" Matt gave Tai an evil grin, however he softened it when the shy brown-haired boy came over and placed his arms around his waist. Returning the embrace, Matt whispered in Tai's ear, "You know I've wanted this for so long. Just this. You. In my arms. By my side. You have no idea how wonderful it is just to have you here, and know that, that you felt that same w--" Tai cut Matt off by simply placing his lips over Matt's. The boys were broken apart by a loud 'THUMP!' noise somewhere close. Turning their heads, they could see what had happened and what, or rather whom, had fallen.  
  
Wide eyed and terror stricken, the two froze where they were and stared at a fallen Mimi. "I guess we have some explaining to do." Matt whispered.   
  
"Yeah, but after we help get Mimi somewhere with soft ground. That's not gonna be easy!" Tai grimaced.  
  
  
TK sat near the ocean, the waves were just barely coming in now, and only barely touched his bare feet. *I always wondered why he looked at Tai in a way I've never seen him look at anyone before. I've seen him hate someone before, so I knew that wasn't it. It couldn't be it!* staring at the waves come into shore, TK didn't notice when Kari sat down near him. He didn't notice when he wrapped his arms around her, didn't notice when he began to cry. All he knew, was that he was hurt. Hurt, scared, afraid, they were all the same to him. *Why now? Why not earlier? Why did he not trust us enough to tell us how he felt? Why didn't he tell me! He's never looked at me like that, doesn't he love me?* TK was so enveloped in crying that he didn't notice he spoke his thoughts out loud. He noticed, however, when a hand began running its way through his hair. "Don't think that way TK. He was just scared is all...he loves my big brother, I know exactly how you feel. Well, I did anyway, before I thought of something; he was scared, TK. Scared of what I might think of him. He loved me, and didn't want to get pushed further apart from me. Think about it, TK; how much more could Matt have pushed you from him before he lost you forever? " Kari whispered to TK, and held him close to her.  
  
Sniffling and stifling a sob, TK looked up at Kari. "I...I never really looked at it that way before, Kari. I always wanted to get closer to him. We rarely saw each other, so I wanted to get as close as possible so he'd wanna see me when he came to visit! I thought I knew him so well." TK sniffled again and hugged Kari closer to him. "Thanks Kari. I really appreciate it." But TK could see that Kari had her eyes closed already, as she rested her head on his. "I love you, Kari." He whispered, as he fell asleep. Kari grinned as the words left his lips, "I love you too, TK." She whispered back, as sleep's mighty grip overcame her.  
  
  
Joe, Izzy, Mimi, Matt, and Tai sat around the campfire as the Digimon slept peacefully - all but Biyomon - and explained everything that happened on the day and night after the initial separation. "Fascinating." Izzy began, "We heard from Gennai what that light thing was that we saw...but to hear about it firsthand is a total different experience altogether!" It was all so exciting to Izzy! The fact that he was witnessing something that hadn't been seen in the digital world in ages! He almost forgot about Sora when Tai asked why she wasn't with the rest of the group. Joe spoke up first, "Well Tai...she just, disappeared, earlier today, we don't know where she went off to. We woke up, and poof! No Sora!" A worried expression befell Tai's face, Matt unknowingly held him closer, easing Tai's tension a little. *Wow, they really must love each other if they don't even notice how much affection they show in front of us like that.* Izzy thought, *But then again, I guess they wouldn't have let us know had we not seen them in that kiss. I wonder what it felt like, their lips meeting, and their tongues...* Izzy was incredibly glad that the night and campfire masked the deep shade of crimson he had turned.  
  
*Hmph...well finally something happens between them! I was wondering how long it would take for them to finally hook up!* Mimi thought to herself, *If only I weren't so happy to see them finally get together that I fainted!* She rubbed her head, cringing a little when she hit a soft spot on her head. "Stupid rock! Of all places, why under my head!" she whined. The rest of them only sat back and laughed at the poor girl's misfortune! "Haha! It's okay Mimi, give it a few days and it'll be as good as new! You've got a pretty hard head, you know that?" Matt had to duck as an unusually large boulder just missed his head. "Hey! I didn't mean like that!" *Yes I did!* Matt thought to himself, "I meant that it's a good thing that your head didn't break open is all, otherwise you'd be in worse condition than you are!" "Yeah! Well we'll see what condition your boyfriend gets you back in when I'm through with you Matt! Get over here!" Mimi got up and started running after Matt. The rest of the gang laughed and stared as Matt tried to find a place to hide from the terrible wrath of Mimi! No matter how hard Matt ran, Mimi was always a step behind. Who knew the girl had so much spunk in her! Eventually, Mimi caught Matt, but what happened then? That's another story!  
  
END PART IVTO BE CONTINUED...  
  
  



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